Strokes

Maybe that's why I love teaching first aid so much. I always get such nice comments at the end of the course. It feeds my seemingly fragile self-esteem.

I taught a Standard and Emergency course this week and this is a selection of the comments I got in the course evaluations:

- Loved the easy going personality, sure matched the class!
- Jane is an excellent instructor - knows her stuff & shows passion.
- Knows how to demonstrate and coach!
- Best first aid course I have taken.
- I feel confident in supplying first aid.
- She was very clear and very knowledgeable.

It makes my heart happy knowing I have found something that is both useful to people and I am good at. One guy yesterday said that my confidence made him feel confident. I hope it translates into confidence in a real situation.

I'm also pretty happy that I had a class of 16 linesmen (overhead and underground electrical workers) that initially showed me disrespect because I was a woman and because I laughed at it and rolled with it and them (also modifying my behaviour and language to match theirs to some extent - one cannot swear like a sailor in class, but you can match language so the people 'get' the message on their terms) and by the end of the first hour, then the rest of the day the next day they were fully engaged. Actually fully engaged - no resistance, no macho behaviour... they wanted to learn and do the practical exercises and book learning. It will never cease to amaze me how my excitement and passion can rub off on people. Not every class is roses and sunshine. I do have the odd class that I'd like to take a gun and peg them off one by one, but it is the rare exception rather than the rule.

So happy that I've finally found something that makes me happy and not miserable to earn a living.